KMGH news director Jeff Harris has announced investigative reporter Amanda Kost will leave the Scripps-owned Denver ABC affiliate to join the Scripps National Bureau in Washington as an investigative reporter.
“The DC investigative team is building and Amanda is the perfect part to help gain momentum and impact,” Harris told staff in an email today. “Our Nation’s Capital has no idea what it’s in store for…but we do.”
Kost is a Peabody Award winner who joined KMGH four years ago.
Read Harris’ full memo after the jump.
From: Harris, Jeff
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2014 10:22 AM
To: KMGH_STATION
Subject: AnnouncementFolks,
Amanda Kost is leaving 7NEWS to take a position as an investigative reporter for our Scripps National Bureau in Washington, D.C. This is an exciting opportunity for Amanda and one she simply could not pass up. The DC investigative team is building and Amanda is the perfect part to help gain momentum and impact. I can’t say enough about her contributions to this newsroom. I’m not exactly sure how and why Amanda ended up in my office four summers ago – but there she was. She asked me to go over her resume tape and what I saw was a passionate, spirited journalist asking much taller people some very tough questions. I’m afraid the powerful in Tyler, Texas had never encountered such a thing. At the time, I had no on-air positions and before I finished the sentence, “…the only opening I have is…” she said, “I’ll take it!” I explained that it was a morning editor job. She said, “…it’s a foot in the door, would you consider me?” I was like, “do you even know how to cut shows?” Well, I hired her with the expectation that down the road, she’d start back-filling some reporter shifts. I think it was two weeks later she led the 10p newscast with a great investigative piece. It was only a few years later that she and Marshall charged forward with their incredible work investigating the Lower North Fork fire and hauled in a Peabody Award as an acknowledgement of their dedication. I’m so proud of her work and spirit. She will be missed but I’m heartened that she’s staying in the company. Our Nation’s Capital has no idea what it’s in store for…but we do.
Congratulations to Amanda!
Jeff